ABSTRACT
Prescribing has been a topic of substantial research and practical interest for many years. Inappropriate prescribing has been implicated as a possible cause in most studies of preventable drug-
related mortality (PDRM). Furthermore, the published literature includes literally hundreds of studies that raise serious questions about prescribing appropriateness. This interest goes beyond medicines use per se. Some authors have seen the use of drugs, especially drugs like antibiotics and psychoactive medications, as a barometer of the quality of health care or even as a proxy for medical decision making and the (mis)use of technology. Interest in prescribing also extends into the cost of prescribed medicines.
